This was a really great coming of age book that deals with some pretty tough subjects for kids, but things that all kids go through. Bullying, friendship difficulties, sickness, financial worries etc. I thought it was a really great read. I didn't think came across as dumbed down for young readers. I really enjoyed it. A very complex and touching plot with a good role model as the narrator.

This brought me back to middle school; the team colors and the importance of which table you sat at and with who. It just makes me cringe! A very accurate account of what it is like to be a middle schooler. This is a surprisingly better story than I had imagined and I am glad that I took the library/media specialist's recommendation on this one; she has never steered me wrong! Even though the book takes place in a middle school with students older than my fourth graders, I still thought that it would be a good book to share as a read aloud, or to pull a few pages out of and use as a shared reading piece with the Doc Cam. The metaphors in the book would be a great example to use for a lesson in figurative language. ( )

This was a good read. The novel highlights the efforts of the Spy Club, the training of its newest member and the mission to uncover the mysterious Mr. X. This novel seemed straightforward at first. However, Georges and Safer's evolving friendship, lessons about taste buds, and a game of scrabble between mother and son create a surprisingly complex story. I loved how the story touched upon several issues that pre-teens confront and revealed the depths we go to to hide the matters that are closest to our hearts. This book could open up a wide array of discussions within a classroom or within a family. ( )

Seventh-grader Georges has just moved with his architect father and mother, an RN, from their beloved Brooklyn home. At his new apartment Georges befriends Safer, a twelve-year-old who is homeschooled by his Bohemian parents. Georges joins Safer’s spy club to investigate Mr. X - a possible murderer living in the apartment right above Georges’. As Georges and Safer’s missions grow increasingly dangerous, Georges begins to worry about his role in the conspiracy, until he realizes that Safer has a secret that rival’s Georges’ own. A suspenseful story with cleverly-executed plot twists that reveals how friendship can liberate children from their worst fears. Characters are well-developed, quirky, and their problems will be relatable for middle-school audience. The conclusion is satisfying and reconciles fantasy with reality. Highly recommended. Ages 9-13. ( )

Summary:Georges is a twelve year old boy whose life seems to be changing drastically. His father has lost his job, therefore his mother must pick up extra shifts working at the hospital. They must move out of their house and into an apartment. To add to all of these stressful changes, Georges is also being picked on and bullied at school.

Review:Unfortunately this chapter book is highly relatable to many children now a days. There are many problems with children's parent's losing their jobs or having to work many shifts in any job in which they can find. This can leave many children in the position that Georges is in, which can be more stressful for a child than most people may think. Liar & Spy is a relatable book for children of their own family life or possibly that of their friends. ( )

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Book description

Summary from the Kindle edition: Seventh-grader Georges adjusts to moving from a house to an apartment, his father's efforts to start a new business, his mother's extra shifts as a nurse, being picked on at school, and Safer, a boy who wants his help spying on another resident of their building.

An instant New York Times bestseller,Liar & Spy is a story about games and friendship. Seventh-grader Georges moves into a Brooklyn apartment building and meets Safer, a twelve-year-old self-appointed spy. Georges becomes Safer's first spy recruit. His assignment? Tracking the mysterious Mr. X, who lives in the apartment upstairs. But as Safer becomes more demanding, Georges starts to wonder: How far is too far to go for your only friend?

Like Stead's dazzling Newbery-winner When You Reach Me, Liar & Spy will keep readers guessing until the end.

* A New York Times bestseller

* A New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of 2012 * Kirkus Reviews Best of Children's Books 2012 List * Publishers Weekly Best of Children's Fiction 2012 * School Library Journal Best of Children's Fiction 2012 List * The Horn Book's Best of 2012 List

Seventh-grader Georges adjusts to moving from a house to an apartment, his father's efforts to start a new business, his mother's extra shifts as a nurse, being picked on at school, and Safer, a boy who wants his help spying on another resident of their building.… (more)